Students discover theories related to Communities of Practice (CoP) and explore resources to manage knowledge networks such as catalytic leadership, knowledge mapping, collaboration, and innovation to prepare them to manage productive learning communities.
Students both consume and contribute to the domain knowledge in their field. This course prepares students for meaningful participation in communities of practices, active knowledge management, and interactions across organizations and cultures.
As the global economy becomes increasingly knowledge-based, communities of practice play a vital role in extending the competitive advantage of corporations, nonprofit organizations, governmental entities, and educational institutions through knowledge sharing, organizational learning, and innovation. CoP provide a model for connecting people in the spirit of learning, knowledge sharing, and collaboration as well as individual, group, and organizational development.
Communities of practice reinforce the biblical principle of community and the benefits gained from participants sharing knowledge, experience, skills and learning from one another.
Communities of practice enable collective knowledge sharing, developmental participation, and innovative problem solving to enhance organizational effectiveness.
Students discover how to cultivate and manage knowledge networks within their respective work or ministry environment.
A focus on domain knowledge allows communities of practice to operate inter-organizationally and cross-culturally. Collectivistic cultural dimensions inform their implementation.
Members of a community of practice are active practitioners within a domain of knowledge. Students cultivate and lead in knowledge management and organizational learning in both virtual and face-to-face contexts.
Students engage in communities of practice and knowledge management through networking experiences, knowledge mapping, boundary spanning and developing a CoP proposal for their chosen domain.
